The role of spin-orbit coupling for the superconducting state in Sr2RuO4

The odd-parity spin-triplet Cooper pairing states show a six-fold degenerac y for a quasi-two-dimensional electron system. In this article we show how spin-orbit coupling can lift this degeneracy for Sr2RuO4 taking the band st ructure based on the three relevant t(2g)-orbitals of the Ru-ions into acco unt. The stabilized state depends on the relative strength of the pairing i nteraction. We show that under reasonable assumptions the chiral pairing st ate d(k) = (z) over cap(k(x) +/- ik(y)) is favored against the others.